SAVED BY THE BOATS

Meet some unsung heroes of the sea.

On Sept. 11, 2001, the day the World Trade Center was attacked, more than 1 million people in New York were in need of evacuation. Subways, bridges, and tunnels were shut down, so the only way out was to cross the water. Firefighters and police rushed in to help, and Coast Guard officials put out a call for all available boats, leading to the largest evacuation by sea ever recorded, exceeding the Dunkirk boatlift by more than 150,000 evacuees. Detailed pictures show the buildings, the people, and the ships rendered in beige and gray, while a warm blue sky embraces the city despite its tragedy. Accessible, informative text presents the tragedy with relevant detail and explains how captains and crews worked together to bring almost 500,000 people to safety, traveling back and forth from New York City to the New Jersey shore, despite fear, smoke, crowding, and unidentified military jets passing overhead. Quotations from these heroic responders bring immediacy to the story, while the author’s note offers an additional personal perspective. A glossary and source notes are included.

This accessible, fact-based account of the boat evacuations that took place on 9/11 puts faces on some of the many heroes who stepped forward to help in a time of crisis.